Fortunate Accident
by Phoenix Fangor
Summary: Tonks finds herself facing rumors and gossip when she returns from a long mission. Once again revised.


Title: Fortunate Accident  
House/Genre: AstroTower / Romance & Drama  
Author: Phoenix Fangor  
Summary: The night before a mission, Tonks and Remus finally fall for each other. What will the outcome be?  
Other pairings: None  
Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides the plot.  
Nymphadora Tonks didn't expect a huge welcoming party upon her return from her three month mission, nor did she expect everyone to even be happy she was alive, but she did expect everything to be how she had left it, and her wish was not to be granted. She walked slowly and quietly, next to her partner Kingsley, through the front door of 12 Grimmauld Place. Mrs. Black's portrait shrieked, announcing their presence. No one joined them in the hall, and when they entered the kitchen, no one was to be seen. In the early morning hours Tonks had expected no less… except one person. One man should have been waiting. She went to the counter and began to make some coffee.

"You want any Kingsley?"

"Maybe I should do that, Tonks…" he said easing in behind her, carefully taking the hot water from her. "Wouldn't want you burning yourself," he said with a smile.

"You're too protective, that's…"

"His job, I know," his joviality dampened by the mention of her lover.

"I wonder where he is…"

"Isn't it the full moon, tonight?"

"Yeah," she hit her forehead, "of course it is. I'm so damned tired…"

"Why don't you take a nap?"

"Nah, because if fall asleep now, I won't be about to wake up and report on our mission at breakfast. I just need some coffee."

"You want coffee so you can see him in the morning."

"That too…" She blushed, slipping into a chair.

"You know, I just feel like you're family to me. I'm sorry if I seem over protective."

"It's all right, I appreciate it. Honest." She wiggled her nose as her hair grew short and red, "how's this look?"

"It looks better than usual."

"Thanks, I hate looking pale," she said yawning, "Better hurry up with that coffee."

As Molly Weasley came down to cook breakfast, she found Tonks trying to get another cup of coffee; the mug sliding from her hand and breaking.

"_Reparo!_" Tonks said, waving her wand at the shattered mug. The wand jerked in her hand and the shattered pieces became goop. She turned to Molly with sad eyes, "Oh, Molly, I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine dear," Molly said, getting a towel to clean it up, "don't worry." Molly displayed a knowing smile as she cleaned up the mess, "If there's one thing I did not miss about you, Tonks, it's this…"

"I'm afraid it'll be worse now… my magic's been off lately."

"Surely. It'll get better; the first few months are always the worst. Trust me, I've had six children."

"Is it that obvious?" Tonks asked, her voice high and worried.

"No… I'm just too familiar with it all," she smiled again, in an attempt to calm the young woman, "But, who's the father? If it's not too bold to ask."

"I've not told him yet…"

"Is it that handsome Shacklebolt?"

"No! Kingsley's… it's different with Kingsley," she said with a smile. She tried to nab a biscuit from the jar, but managed to knock it too off the counter.

"I can understand that. Don't make me guess, or I'll embarrass us both."

"It's Remus… we… we got a little inebriated."

"Remus? That's why he's been acting so odd… Now, sit down, I'll get you some coffee."

"Thanks, Molly."

The meeting was like most others, everyone sitting around the table, Molly distributing breakfast as she listened and added what she could. Remus sat about as far as possible from Tonks, and Kingsley was no where to be found. Soon Tonks' report was due and she put down her toast, and stood up.

"For the good of the Order, I report: All went well in Romania. As far as we know, no one noticed that Charles Weasley was gone. Pain staking care was taken to maintain his contacts…" She tried to blink away her dizziness, and grabbed the table, "I took care of the dragons… please, excuse me… I'm sorry—" she said before weaving her way out of the room as fast as she could.

She ducked out into the hall to be met by a crowd of anxious children. "Wotcher—excuse me," she pushed passed them a bit too harshly as she made her way to the water closet.

She closed the door behind her, sliding down the back of it, pushing her palms into her eyes. She felt as if she were going to be ill.

There was a knock on the door. "Tonks?"

"Go away Kingsley, I'm fine," She spoke loudly to make sure he heard her through the door.

Kingsley poked his head in, to spite her request. "Are you alright?"

"Well, now that you're here: where've you been? I had to report all by myself, and bungled it terribly."

"I'm sorry, I over-slept. I'm sorry, Nymph-"

"DON'T call me Nymphadora!"

"Sorry Tonks."

"Listen, I'm in no shape… I'm sorry. You'd better get in there and give a report, or Moody won't let us forget it."

"Don't worry about it. Need anything?"

"I'll be fine. Now, go!" He closed the door, and she heard him walk away. She pulled herself up by the towel, and splashed water on her face. She stared at the matted red hair, and pale face that stared back at her. She concentrated as hard as she could and managed to get a much darker red in her tiredness.

As she came out the water closet she was focused on one thing, her bed.

"Tonks, what's going on in there?" Hermione asked.

"How should I know, I've been in the water closet."

"Well, you came out, then, Mr. Shaklebolt went in, we thought maybe something was going on," Ginny said.

"I just don't feel all that well, is all. If you see Remus, will you do me a favor?"

"Of course, Tonks."

"Tell him I'm in my room, and I need to talk to him." She yawned and grabbed the banister. She made her way up the stairs and slipped into her room, falling face first onto her dusty bed, and adjusted herself very little before sleep took her.

When Tonks awoke, the sun was coming through the dark drapes.

"Bugger! Why didn't he come and talk to me?"

When Tonks went downstairs, she saw that it was already noon. She went straight down the kitchen to find George, Fred, Bill and Arthur were sitting around the table already eating the rolls. When Molly and Tonks entered the room the twins began to clap.

"Is it true you're preggers with Shacklebolt's kid, Tonks?" Fred asked.

"Excuse me? Who told you that?" she looked confused as she turned to face Molly.

"Deary, Kingsley told the whole Order." She tried to look sympathetic, but Tonks could tell Molly doubted Tonks' honesty.

"What? What do you mean 'told the whole order'?"

"Moody was giving him slack when he shouted 'She's pregnant, ok? Give her a break! Give me a break!' and stormed out."

"What did Remus do?" Tonks looked to Molly again.

"He seemed quite agitated. He left as soon as he could."

"Bloody hell… I should have just written a damned letter! I need to find Remus—"

When she came to Buckbeak's room, the old master bedroom, she saw it was closed. She found herself knocking on Buckbeak's door. She tried to open the door to find it locked. "_Buckbeak can't get out if the door is closed, there's no reason to lock it, unless…_" she thought. The silence in the hallway was deafening as Tonks called through the door, "Remus? Are you in there?" She knocked again, trying to coax Remus to come out. She fished her wand out of her robes and took aim at the door handle, "_Alohomora!_" she said, but when she tried to open the door the knob only wiggled. She screamed at the door, kicking it in frustration as she fell against the door and onto the floor. Her frustration at herself and Remus overwhelmed her as she sat on the dusty wooden floor so close to Remus, but so far away. Sobbing, it took her time to catch her breath. Finally, she hoister herself back up.

"Remus. Remus! LET ME IN!" she banged on the door until her hand was bruised. She backed up and threw her shoulder against the door, cracking the door frame. She backed up again and ran for the door but fell through into Remus. She grabbed his robe as she fell to the ground.

"Remus," she said hugging him. He pried her off and pushed her away; she tripped and fell on her hands and knees.

"You wench! I can't believe you shagged him!" he yelled at her.

"I did no such thing! Do you know where I was when he did that little stunt? I was in the water closet trying not to loose my breakfast. I thought maybe you'd follow, but I knew you probably didn't feel well either. Ever since I told Kingsley I was pregnant he's been quite jealous, but I never thought he'd do this," she said looking up at him, she put herself on her side and rolled onto her back, her arms flailing out on either side of her. Buckbeak came up and nudged her side. She petted him weakly as she stared at Remus. "Remus, this is supposed to be happy. We're supposed to be happy," her hollow laugh filling the room. The excess material of her robes fell to her sides revealing the bump of their child.

"It's your word against his…"

"Remus," she said, "How many nights did we loose ourselves in whiskey and wine? It may not have been the best way to do things, but I do… I do love you. But you know, if you want to end it because of what someone else said, then fine. Fuck you; I'm not some little girl. I can raise a child on my own."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know until a month ago. It's not something you want to write an owl about!"

"That may be true, but why'd you tell him?"

"I was so tired and sick, he thought I was dieing. My magic's been all wonky, how does one explain something like that?"

"You're magic isn't working?"

"I can't even unlock a stupid door…"

"Why didn't you abort the mission?"

"It was probably stupid not too, but I felt I owed."

"Owed what? You're life is more important!"

"I was hardly in mortal danger…"

"What if you'd blown your cover?"

"I am physically capable of defending myself, you know."

"You know the house is yours now."

"What? Sirius wouldn't leave the house to me… He'd leave to Harry, or you!"

"He left it to you, Tonks. This is your house now."

"What made you think of that? Who cares whose house it is? This war isn't going to end tomorrow, or even 6 months from now."

"How far along are you?" he asked sprawling his fingers out over her belly.

"Three and a half months…"

His eyes grew large and he looked at her face, "That means…"

"It really happened that night… you're telling me. You don't have ten extra pounds to hide."

"You don't have to hide it."

"Remus… I don't want anyone to know. I… I don't even know if I really want to have this baby," her lip quivered as her eyes filled with tears. She wiped them away in time for another batch to come.

"It will be hard to go back now, but 'Dora why?"

"What if you died? I thought about you everyday I was away, ever hour, every minute. I planned out exactly how I was going to tell you," she sniffled, "We were going to come home a day before the full moon and you'd be all edgy, and… you'd smell me, smell something different. You'd ask me 'Are you wearing perfume?' and I'd act innocent and say no. And then you'd sit down next to me and sniff my hair and my neck and you'd say, 'Something's different. What is it Tonks?' And I'd take your hand…" she grabbed his other hand by the wrist and put it on her belly, both her hands over his one. "And I'd say, 'That's your baby, Remus. I'm pregnant.'" She smiled through her tears, staring at him in the melancholy moment.

Remus leaned in and kissed her. "I think you're worrying too much, because I'm not going anywhere."

"Remus this war has been going on for the better part of my life. There's no way you can promise me that…"

"Nymphadora, I love you too."


End file.
